Other
by OldLightNewDark13
Summary: In the end, he just shoves those queries at the back of his mind with a shrug. It didn't affect his soccer playing so he didn't really feel the need to worry about it. Too bad his teammates think otherwise. (Full Summary inside) (Somewhat related to "To Resurface Among Ripples" maybe?)


**Summary: Even if he was pretty sure he had passed out back at the Steel Tower Plaza after training again, Endou finds himself waking up in his room. Granted maybe he just walked on home in some sort of half-awake state due to exhaustion and just couldn't remember getting into bed thereafter-**

 **In the end, he just shoves those queries at the back of his mind with a shrug. It didn't affect his soccer playing so he didn't really feel the need to worry about it.**

 **Too bad his teammates think otherwise.**

* * *

"MAMORUUU-! How long are you going to keep sleeping?! You're going to be late!"

His mom's wake-up call jolts him awake. With a yelp, he rolls off the bed and ends up swimming in his blanket. He rushes to his feet with a stumble here and there, reflexively yelling some sort of response to his mother. Water running and blue pajamas now lying on the floor, Endou gets ready for school.

* * *

"I'm going, Mom!"

Hurried, frantic steps followed the loud slam of the door as Endou made his way to Raimon Middle School. He chomped on the sandwich he grabbed from the table on his way out with such huge bites, it was honestly a wonder he hadn't choked yet.

Chocolate eyes looked to the sky as he continued his pace. Memories of yesterday coming to him in a haze.

 _'Guess it must've happened again.'_

* * *

Making his way to the club room, Max slowly grabs at the handle almost hesitantly. His outward calm expression betraying the apprehensiveness he felt inside.

The door opens and Max nearly jumps out of his skin at the sight of his captain, who was already dressed and grinning with the soccer ball being held by his wornout gloves.

 _(He's standing up and his stare was blank, devoid of emotion -which was wrong, wrongwrong- and completely, utterly different that it made his skin crawl and break out into hives.)_

"Ah, Max! You're pretty early today."

 _(He hides by the bushes, unwilling to confront, because this was so weird and really, how come he's the one who has to deal with this insane-)_

Max can't really hear what Endou is saying. He just mutters what he hopes was a convincing response about going to change into his uniform and leaves it at that.

 _("Mamoru is being reckless again." Endou is checking his hands and purses his lips, somehow looking to be caring despite the deadpan look in his eyes._

 _"Mamoru needs to stop pushing his body to its limits." He hears Endou mutter to himself mindlessly and Max's head is spinning like there's no tomorrow._

 _He needed to tell the guys about this.)_

Judging from the ecstatic holler from behind him, Max guesses that it had done the trick.

* * *

"Well?" Gouenji leans by the lockers as Kidou and Kazemaru take the bench opposite from where Max sat. Kazemaru gripped his knees tightly, the air was cold and something about the light from the setting sun left him unnerved. Googles reflected the scarlet rays and Kidou puts his hands together under his chin. "Why'd you ask to meet up here?"

Hands reaching up to fidget with the long ear coverings of the hat he's wearing, Max' voice is as nonchalant as ever. "It's about Endou, I-" He grips the thin cloth tighter. "He passed out at the Steel Tower Plaza yesterday."

Onyx eyes narrow slightly if a bit confused as Kazemaru sweatdrops and says, "But he almost usually does?" Ah, is that was this was about? He's surprised that the others still aren't used to Endou's annoying and worrying habit of overexerting himself. "I mean, I get that you're worried for Endou when he keeps training himself to ground like that-"

"I don't think that's what he meant, Kazemaru," Gouenji interjects, staring down at the hat-wearing soccer player. "You've been shooting him these weird looks all throughout practice. Did something happen with Endou yesterday?"

Max nods. "I found myself taking a stroll by the tower yesterday. He collapsed just as I arrived. I ran up to help him back on his feet but then-" He shakes his head. "I don't really how to describe it. He'd practically been dead to the world when I found him and he just- _he stood up like it was nothing."_

 _(Endou was passed out by the tower again, Max thought to himself, somewhere between fondness and exasperation. If Endou wasn't careful, all this training might be the cause of an abrupt ending of his soccer career-_

 _Max stopped in his tracks and grimaced. He didn't dare continue that train of thought. That happening would no doubt **break** his captain-)_

Kidou's grip tightened but he held his tongue.

"That isn't even the weirdest bit. When Endou pulled himself up, for a second, I saw-" Max paused, eyes flitting around the room. "I saw his eyes turn red."

"You're sure that wasn't-"

Max stands up in a fit and the others jump -Kazemaru, moreso. "And I'm sure that wasn't a trick of the light, because his eyes stayed that way the whole entire time!" He was breathing heavily, the yelling already taking a toll on him. _Calm, calm, calm. Calm down, your voice can't handle this, you can't handle this kind of force, this kind of emotion._

The silence that follows is uncomfortable. Kazemaru reaches to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, albeit a little awkwardly, while the gears in the others' mind begin to spin.

He breathes a sigh. "Sorry, sorry. I just-" He runs his hand through his hair, pink hat now askew. "I'm-"

"I'm just…worried. I thought you guys would be the best ones to talk about," he gestures vaguely, trying to find the right word, "with _whatever_ this is that's going on with Endou. You three are the ones closest to him, afterall. And I guess," he chuckles, "I was hoping that…maybe you knew more about it."

"Did he say anything?"

"What do you mean, Kidou?" Max' eyes widen. "Do you know then-?"

He pursed his lips to a thin line. "I'm…not sure. I have somewhat of an idea but I don't have much to go on. But going back, did he-"

"Refer to himself in third person?" Gouenji suddenly says. He takes Max' bewildered expression as a yes and the ace striker allows a grimace to show on his face.

"W-wait a second! Since when has this been happening?!" Voice high and worried, Kazemaru looks at all of them and grits his teeth. He then looks down, wondering if he was a bad friend because-

"And how come this is the first I've heard of this?"


End file.
